Stapling machine for driving wire staples



Jane 5, 1923.

E. H. MICHENER STAPLING MACHINE FOR DRIVING WIRE STAPLES Filed Feb. 8. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l mwnuunnnunihmumi 1 llff.

' INVENTOE 5W1 /aazfi A T TORNE Y June 5, 1923. 1,457,446

E. H. MICHENER STAPLING MACHINE FOR DRIVING WIRE STAPLES Filed Feb. 8, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hm v ha Q I IN VEN TOR 6 W ATTORNEY being Patented June 5, I923.

ELWOOD H. HICHENER,

COMPANY, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STAPLIHG MACHINE FOR DRIVING WIRE STAPLES.

Application filed February 8, 1922. Serial No. 534,855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELwoon H. MICH- ENER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Woodlynne, in the county of Camden, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Stapling \Vire Staples, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to stapling machines for driving wire staples; and is of the magazine type wherein a train of staples are loaded on an interiorly contained holder and ejected and driven into any underlying paper or other stock b the action of the driving mechanism. 0st of such machines require, as a meeting element, an underlying clinching anvil; mine does not, though such an element may be used with it. In this respect it is unique. In all of such machines heretofore known, .the ejection of the staple from the magazine holder and the driving of it, is efi'ected by the direct action of a driver actuated directly through a lever by-manual force or by that of applied power-actuated devices. In my machine hereinafter described, a wholly difi'erent driving force is applied; my device operating by a trigger action, in which the driver is primarily placed under spring tension, by the partial downward movement of the operating lever, which, by the same movement. actuates holding parts, from which it is then, by a further full downward movement of said lever, released, so that it may be driven by the tensioned force of the spring. In this respect it is broadly new.

My invention has for its several objects to provide a novel and efiicient staple driving mechanism adapted to be employed without a co-acting clinching plate and though of small size and readily handled, has comparatively great power, and moreover is movable about, manually, into various positions for use in driving staples into objects of various kinds such as packing boxes, barrels, crates, etc. for securing parts together, or for attachment thereto of cards, tags or the like.

To efiectuate' these objects I have constructed a staple driving machine in which Machines for Driving the leading essential and no el features, which characterize it, comprise, in combination, a spring-actuated staple-driver, an operating lever, and means, such as a togglejoint between the driver and lever, whereby the lever is adapted toput the driver under spring tension and to hold it fixedly, like a trigger action, under such tension, until released by a subsequent and continued movement oi: the lever; and in the novel construction of several of the same and other elements of the machine, and subcombinations of them; all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention; igure 1 is a side view of a staple driving machine containing an embodiment of my invention, in its best form, showing the parts thereof includin the operating lever handle in the norma and raised position,the driver not under tension, and then in raised position in the staple channel immediately over the single staple therein which has been delivered thereto by the raising of the driver to normal position.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine,

partly 1n section, showing the lever 'handle lowered to its first position of depression, to place the driver under spring tension in intermediate trigger-like position; this ac-- tion not moving the staple-driver nor disturbing its position relatively to the single staple then in the staple channel, and in position to be released from its trigger like hold by a continued downward movement of the lever and thereafter actuate the driver to drive the staple which has previously passed into the staple channel'on the previous upward movement of the driver.

' Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the handle depressed to its lowest position and the staple driver released from spring control and driven downwardly to its staple driving position.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of the machine, on line 4- 4 of Fig. 2, and Figure 5 is a sectional detail showing the adjustable spring connectin means.

Referring to tie drawings, the machine frame comprises a forward or body portion" sion 5, hollow at its forward id, and projecting rearwardiy from the lower portion thereof.

One side of the frame is provided with an open channel or groove 6 which forms a magazine open at one side and readily accessible for containing the staples 7 which embrace a longitudinal guiding rib 8 rising from the floor of the magazine 3. The

staples 7 are arranged in a row, one against another, and they are adapted to be fed for wardly on the rib 8 toward and into a staple channel formed by a wall or surface 9 which is opposite to and spaced from the forward end of the rib 8 a distance equal to the thick ness of a staple. The row of staples '7 is fed toward said channel by a suitable follower 10 which embraces and is slidably fitted to the rib 8. The follower 10 has an arm 11 which extends outwardly and upwardly from the magazine 6 and which is engaged by a hook 12 on a plate 13 which is connected to one end of a helical spring 14. The spring 14, being always put under tension when the staple-supporting rib 8 of the magazine has been loaded with staples, serves to discharge the staples into said staple channel, one by one as they are successively released by the rise and fall of the driver, which normally covers the entrance to the channel. The spring 14 extends forwardly to and through an opening in the frame to and around a pulley 15 on the opposite side of the frame and then rear wardly, having its other end connected to a lug 16 projecting from the frame. The pulley 15 is constructed as a rotating wheel, mounted on a pin 15 extending transversely through the forward hollow part of the rearwardly extending part 6 of the frame. and is rotated by contact of the spring 14 therewith, which insures certainty in staple deliver The space between the wall 9 and the orward end of the staple guiding rib 8 forms part of this staple guiding channel 17 which extends vertically above and below the rib 8 and which is formed by and be tween a block 18 and blocks 19 and 20 above and below the forward end of the rib 8. The block 18 forms the wall 9 previously mentioned, and the blocks 18, 19 and 20 are fitted within a vertical bore 21 in the forward or body portion of the frame and they are suitably secured thereto and form, in effect, a part of the frame. The staple driver 22 comprises a plunger 23 slidably fitted within the upper portion of the bore 21 and a plate 24 secured to the lower end of the plunger 23 and extending downwardly therefrom and slidably fitted within the sta le channel 17.

l pin 25 extends transversely through the plunger 23, and the end portions of the pin 25 project outwardly through and beyond vertical slots 26 in the sides of the machine 42 which extends through the frame and form means to pivotally connect the lower ends of the side members 27 of a link 28 to the staple driver 22. The upper and lower end portions of the side members 27 are connected by arms or members 29 and 29 which with the members 27 are formed of a single casting or piece of metal. The upper end of the link 28 embraces and is pivoted, at 30, to another link 31 which extends from the link 28 and into the bifurcated upper end portion of the arm 3 and is pivoted thereto at The links 28 and 31 constitute the two pivot-ed parts of a toggle joint which connects the staple driver to the arm 3 of the machine frame.

T he toggle joint is adapted to be operated to actuate the staple driver 22 by two successive movements effected by means of instrumentalities connecting it to spring-actuating operating lever shown in the drawing as a hand operated member 33 as follows:

The operating lever arm 33 comprises a hollow handle provided with a pair of lugs 35 extending forwardly and downwardly from the forward end thereof and an arm 36 extending upwardly and forwardly from the forward end of the handle. The lugs 35 embrace the. machine frame and they are connected by a pivot pin 37 which extends. through the frame and pivotally connects the operating lever 33 thereto. The handle 34 extends rearwardlyfrom the pivot pin 37 and over the frame extension 5 toward and from which it is adapted to be moved for a purpose hereinafter explained. i

The toggle part or link 31 has a web 36 formed thereon and having a curved slot 37 therein the ends of which are directed toward the handle 34 and form sockets 38 and 39 at different distances from the pivot pin 30 of the toggle part 31. Either socket 38 or 39 is adapted to receive and retain a connecting pin 40 which extends transversely through the slot 37. The projecting ends of the pin 40 are connected to the free ends of the sides of a U-shaped link 41 which embraces the web 36. The link 41 is connected to the forward end of ahelical spring bifurcated arm 3 and through the hollow handle 34 and has its rearward end connected to a lug or web 43 formed 011 the handle 34.

The arm 36 of the operating lever 33 is made hollow and it encloses apawl 44 which is carried by a pivot pin 45 extending therethrough and through the sides of the arm 36. The free end of the pawl 44 is adapted to engage a tooth 46 on an arm 47 which is integral with and extends from the toggle part 31; and the pawl 44 is pressed toward and into engagement with the arm 47 by a frat spring 48 having one end secured to the arm 36 and the other end bearing against the pawl. The pawl 44 is adapted to engage the tooth 46 and move the toggle and its connected parts from the position shown in Figs, 1 and 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2 when the handle 34 is moved toward the frame extension 5 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2; and the pawl 44 has an arm 49 formed thereon which overhangs the arm 36 and is adapted to be engaged thereby when the handle 34 reaches the position shown in Fig. 2, and thereafter move the pawl 44 from engagement with the tooth 46 to release the toggle part 31 during the further or final movement of the handle 34 toward the frame extension 5. The final movement of the handle 34 toward the frame exten-- sion 5 is arrested by a stop lug formed on the member 33 and adapted to en age the extension 5 after the pawl 44 has een moved from enga ement with the tooth 46.

The spring42 nolds the parts connected thereto normally in the position shown in Fl 1 with the staple driver 22 down at the en of its staple driving stroke and with the lever 33 raised and its pawl 44 in position to engage the tooth 46. In this position of the parts, the lower end portion of the plate 24 of the staple driver 22 projects below the bottom of the machine frame, and the spring 14 presses the row oil staples 7 in the magazine 6 up against the plate 24, so that when the plate 24 is raised to the position shown in Fig. 2, the foremost staple of the row will be pressedinto the channel 17 and in position to be driven downwardly therethrough when the staple driver 22 is driven downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, and thus a staple will be fed into the channel 17 by the spring 14 following each upward stroke of the staple driver to normal position. The handle 34 is grasped by the user, and the weight of the machine frame below the handle prevents any accidental depression of the handlerelatively to the frame. Thus the machine may be moved about from place to place; and, when it is desired to drive a staple, the machine frame is placed upon the article into which the staple is to be driven with the bottom of the channel 17 over the particular part of the article which is to receive the staple. The handle 34 is then depressed from the normal position shown in Fig. 1 until the lug or stop 50 engages the top of the frame extension 5. During the movement of the handle 34 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the pawl 44 engages the tooth 46 and forces the arm 4? down and thereby raises the parts 28 and 31 of the toggle joint and the staple driver 22 against the action of the spring 42 and thereby places it under powerful tension, bringing it'to the position shown in Fig. 2; and

wherein it is temporarilyheld by the pawl 44 until and during the completion of the downward movement of the handle 34 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to engage the stop lug 50 with the top of the frame'extension 5, the arm 49 engages the top of the arm 36 and moves. the pawl 44 from engagement with the tooth 46, freeing the toggle joint and permitting the tensioned spring 42 to draw the central pivot pin 30 of the toggle back between the pivot pins 25 and 32 thereof and thereby force 1 the staple driver 22 downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 quickly and forcefully. During the continued downward movement of the staple driver 22 its plate 24 engages the staple in its channel 17, and drives it downwardly therethrough and from the lower end thereof and into the article upon which the machine .frame has been placed. T his done, the hand grasping the handle 34 is raised, permitting the spring 42 to return the handle 34 to the normal position shown in Fig. 1. During the return of the handle to normal position, the surface of the pawl 44 facin 46 rides against the same until t e free end of the pawl clears the tooth and the spring 48 moves the pawl 44 into position over the top of the tooth just before the handle 34 completes its upward movement, leavin parts in the posit-ion shown in Fig. 1 or a succeeding staple driving operation. After the handle34 is raised to the normal position shown in Fig. 1, the'conti-nued upward movement of the hand asping the same,- will raise the entire mac ine from the top of the article into' which the staple was driven to permit it to be placed into another position on the'same article or another article for drivin another staple. When a number of stap es are to be driven into the same article, it will not be necessary to raise the machine frame from contact with the article following each staple driving operation, as the machine may be slid over the top of-the article toa new position each time the handle 34 is raised to the normal position after driving a staple.

The relation of the pivotal connections of the parts 28 and 31 forming the toggle joint to the staple driver 22 and the machine frame is such that the center of the pivot pin 30 closely approaches a line drawn bethe tooth tween the centers of the two pivot pins 25 and 32 and thereby causes the staple driver to be driven with the maximum force when it istmost needed as the staple driver completes its downward movement andv the staple leaves the channel 17 and enters the object into which it is being driven.

To increase the force of the staple driver 22 when it is released and driven downrovide'the toggle link 31 with a relhtively heavy exwhich is thrown downwardly,

' wardly by the spring 42 l i part or tension 51 the tensioned spring 42 when the part 31 is released and which increases its velocity of movement as the staple driver approaches the limit of its stroke and thereby materially assists the spring 42 in the staple driving operation.

The connecting pin 40 may be placed in either socket 38 or 39 as desired. When the pin 40 is thus adjustably placed within the socket 39 the force of the spring 42 in driving the staple driver 22 downwardly will be less than when the pin 40 is placed within the socket 38, due to the different distances of the sockets 38 and 39 from the pivot pin 32. It will thus be understood that the machine may be set to actuate the staple driver 22 with a light force when it is desired to like a hammer, by

drive staples into comparatively soft material, and so that the machine may be set to actuate the driver 22 with a heavy force when it is desired to drive staples into comparatively hard materia As a convenient means to permit the pin 40 to be placed into either socket with ease, I provide the link 41 with two hooks 52 and 53 adapted to engage any convenient pin, nail or instrument inserted into openings 54 and 55 in the arm 3. When it is desired to transfer the pin 40 from the socket 38, the member 33 is depressed until the hook 52 comes into registry with the opening 54, whereupon a pin or nail is inserted into the opening 54 and the member 33 is raised permitting the hook 52 to engage the pin 1nserted into the openin 54 and therebyrelieve the link 31 from t e pull of the spring 42 and permitthe easy transfer of the pin 40 from the socket 38 to the socket.39. This done the pin inserted into the hole 54 is withdrawn, after a slight depression of the handle 34 to remove the spring pressure from the pin and the machine is ready for use with a light force applied to the staple driver 22. The pin 40 may be easily returned to the socket 38 by a like operation in which the outside pin or nail is inserted into the opening 55 instead of the opening 54 to engage the hook 53 of the link 41 instead of the hook 52 thereo As previously explained, the staple driving plate 24 extends below the bottom of the machine frame, in the normal position of the parts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the plate 24 is driven down to this position at each staple drivin operation. When the machine is placed upon an article into be driven and the hanwhich a staple is to d le 34 is depressed to drive a staple, the iniits terminal plate 24 bottom of the machine frame in completing its staple driving stroke, it raises the end of the machine car ing the staple driver, and such raising 0 f the frame acts as a shock absorber to cushion the hammer-like blow of the staple driver. The projecting end of the plate 24 may be used as a finder or indicator of the place where a staple will driven when the handle 34 is depressed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a staple driving machine, the combination of a frame provided with a staple guiding channel, a staple driver, a spring to actuate the driver to drive a staple, means to supply staples successively to said chan nel, said means being governed by the driver, an operating lever, and means actuated thereby to move the driver against the action of the spring to tension it, means coac-ting therewith to hold said spring under tension, and means'ac-tuated by a further movement of said lever to release the driver from said holding means to permit its actuation by the spring.

2. In a staple driving machine, the combinationof a frameprovided with a staple guiding channel and with means to supply staple successively thereto, a staple driver, an operating lever pivoted on the frame, a spring carried bysaid lever and connected to a link pivoted on the frame, and adap ed to be tensioned to actuate the driver to drive a staple, a member, of which said link forms a part, actuated by said lever and which is movable on the frame from and to its initial position, and means operated by said member when moved from its to move the driver against the action of the spring and to release the second position to permit the spring, the spring actmember toinitial position after being moved therefrom and released.

3. In a staple driving machine the combination of a frame provided with a stapleguiding channel and with means to supply staples successively thereto, said means be ing governed by the driver on its upward movement, a staple driver movable in said channel, and means to effect two successive reverse movements of said driver to discharge the staples fed into the channel, said means including a pair of pivoted parts connecting the driver and the frame, an operating lever, a spring between said lever and one of said pivoted parts and adapted to be placed under tension by the first movement of said lever and said part, and means to retain said spring under tension and operable to release it therefrom by the further movement of the lever acting on said parts.

4. In a staple driving machine, the combi nation of a frame provided with a stapleguiding channel and with means to supply staples successively thereto, a staple driver movable in said channel, a pair of pivoted parts forming a toggle joint, said parts connecting the driver with the frame, an operating lever, a spring carried thereby and connected to one of said pivoted parts, and means adapted to move said toggle joint ele ments from a first to a second position against the action of the spring to place it under tension and thereafter to release said parts to return to initial position and permit the tensioned force of the spring tov actuate the connected driver to drive a staple.

5. In a staple driving machine, the combination of a frame provided with a staple guiding channel, a staple driver guided thereby, a pair of pivoted parts forming a toggle joint connecting the driver and the frame, a spring to actuate said parts and the driver, an operating lever arm, a member actuated thereby and movable on the frame from and to its initial position, and means operated by said member when moved from its initial position to move said parts against the action of the spring and to release the parts to permit the spring to actuate them and the driver to drive a staple.

6. In a staple driving machine, the combination of a frame provided with staple guiding means including a staple channel, a staple driver guided thereby, means to deliver staples successively to said channel, said means being governed by the movements of the driver, a pair of pivoted parts forming a toggle joint connecting theidriver and the frame, a spring to actuate said parts and the driver, a member movable on theframe from and to its initial position, an operating lever acting on said .member to move it from its initial position, and means operated by said member when moved from its initial position to move said parts against the action of the spring to tension it and then to release the parts to permit the spring to actuate them and the driver to drive a staple, the spring acting to return the member to normal position after being moved therefrom and released.

7. In a staple driving machine, the combination of a frame provided with a staple guiding channel, means to supply staples successively thereto, a staple driver movable in said channel, an operating lever, a pair of links pivoted in series between said lever and the frame, and operating as a toggle joint between said elements, a pivoted pawl member carried by said lever, one of said links carrying a tooth and movable into position to engage said pawl, a sprin carried by said lever and connected to said ast mentioned link, whereby during the initial movement of the lever from its normatposition the driver may be moved against the action of the spring to tension it and beheld tensioned during such initial movement, and means connected to the lever, operable during a continued movement thereof to'dis-' engage the pawl from the tooth and release the spring to permit it to actuate the driver to drive a staple.

8. In a staple driving machine, the combination of a frame provided with staple guiding means, a staple driver guided by the frame, a movable part connected to the frame and provided with a tooth and operatively connected to the driver, a spring to actuate said part, a member movable on the frame from and to a normal position, a pawl carried by the member and adapted to engage said tooth and cause said part and the driver to be moved'against the action of the spring to tension it, during the initialmovement of the member from its normal position, and means to disengage-the pawl from the tooth during the continued movement of the member from its normal'position to release the spring and permitto actuate said part and the driver to drive a staple, the spring acting to return the member to its normal position and the pawl to its normal position for re-engagement with said tooth after the release of the member following its movement from its normal position. I

9. In a staple driving machine, the combination of a frame provided with staple member from its normal position, and means to disengage the pawl from the tooth during the continued movement of the member from its normal position to releasethe spring and thereby actuate said parts and the driver to drive a staple.

10. In a staple driving machine, the combination ofa frame provided with a staple guiding channel, means to supply staples thereto, a staple driver m'ovable in said channel, means to actuate it to drive a staple, said means. comprising a pair of pivoted links operating as a toggle joint, an operating lever pivoted on the frame and carrying a stop lug adapted to engage the frame, a spring connectin said lever with one member of said togg e joint, adjunctive mechanism carrying a pa 1 and a tooth engaging it and operating to permit said member to be moved against the action of the spring to tension it during the initial movement of an operating lever,

said member from its normal position, the pawl having a part adapted to be then 'cngaged by a part of the member to disengage the pawl from the tooth during the further movementof the member from its normal position to release the spring and thereby actuate said part and the driver to drive a staple.

11. In a staple driving machine, the combination of a frame provided with staple guiding means, a staple driver guided by the frame, a movable part pivoted to the frame and operatively connected to the driver, a member movable on the frame from and to a normal position, a helical spring having one of its ends connected to the member, means to connect the other end of the spring to said part in dificrent positions of adjustment toward and from its pivot, said spring being adapted to actuate said part and the driver, and means operated by the member when moved from its normal position to move said part against the action of the spring and thereafter to release said part to permit the spring to actuate the same and the driver to drive a staple.

12. In a staple driving machine, the combination of a frame provided with a staple guiding channel, means to supply staples successively thereto, a staple driver in said channel and means to actuate the driver to discharge staples fed thereto, comprising a pivoted member connecting said lever with the driver, a spring between said pivoted member and said lever, and operating to tension said spring and cause said member to hold the driver normally at the end of a staple-driving stroke, and means operable to move the driver to a retracted position against the action of the springand to release the same to permit its actuation by the spring to drive a staple.

13. In a staple driving machine, the combin-ation of a frame provided with a staple guiding channel, and means to supply staples successively thereto, said frame at the terminus of the staple channel therein being provided with a surface adapted to be placed against an article into which a staple is to be driven, a staple driver reciprocated in said channel, a spring adapted to actuate the driver, an operating lever and means actuated thereby and co-acting with said spring, operating to normally hold the driver at the termination of a staple driving stroke, and means to effect a movement of the driver against the action of the spring to a retracted position, the driver in the normal position thereof projecting outward 'bination of a from the staple channel and beyond the terminal under surface of the frame in the region of the channel therein.

14. In a staple driving machine, the comframe provided with a staple guiding channel, and staple feeding means, said frame having a basal extension adapted to be placed against an article into which a staple is to be driven, a sta le driver and means to impart an initial and a final stapledriving movement thereto, said means including a pair of pivoted parts forming a toggle joint connecting the driver and the frame, said pair of parts being movable on the frame towards said extension from a normal position above the same, and an operating lever including a spring adapted to be alternately tensioned and released by said toggle joint when it is moved from its normal position to actuate the driver.

15. In a staple driving machine, the combination of a frame supplying and staple guiding means, a staple driver governing each of said means, an operating lever, a member actuated thereby and operatively connected to the frame and to the driver and movable on the frame from and to its initial position, said part having a relatively heavy extension acting as a hammer, a spring to actuate said movable member and the driver, and means operable to move said member against the action of the spring to tension it and then to release said member to permit the spring to actuate it and the driver to drive a staple;

16. In a stapling machine, comprisin a frame providing a staple channel, an a reciprocating driver operating to open and close said channel to permit the successive delivery of staples thereto, said frame having longitudinally disposed open chambers on opposite sides of its basal portion, said cham rs opening into each other at their forward ends and, one of said chambers opening into said staple channel, a staple feeding device slidingly mounted in said last mentioned chamber, a rotatable wheel mounted in the other of said chambers, a coiled spring secured at one end therein and having its other end passing over said Wheel and through said openin between the chambers and connected to said slidable staple feed in the adjoining chamber to actuate it.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto.

ELWOOD H. MICNER. Witnesses:

W. A. HAMILTON, I. M. Tours.

provided with staple 

